How to read Minecraft server logs and crash reports
Your server writes everything to logs/latest.log and saves crashes in the crash-reports folder. Here is where to find them and how to spot the line that matters.
- Difficulty:
- Beginner
- Time:
- 5 minutes
On this page
When something goes wrong, your Minecraft server almost always tells you why. The live output is in the Console, the full text of the current run is in logs/latest.log, and crashes are saved as text files in the crash-reports folder. You can open all of them from the Game Panel.
Where to find each file
What | Where | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
Live output | Console tab | Watching the server start and seeing errors as they happen |
Current log | Files → | The full log since the last start, even after the console clears |
Older logs | Files → | Earlier runs. Unarchive them in the file manager to read them. |
Crash reports | Files → | One file per crash, named with the date and time |
Java crash files | Main folder, named | Rare crashes of Java itself, not of Minecraft |
How to read a log
Each line starts with the time and a level such as INFO, WARN or ERROR. INFO lines are normal. WARN lines are worth a look but often harmless. ERROR lines, and blocks of text that follow them, are where problems are.
Look for
ERRORorException. On a long log it is easier to download the file from Files and use your computer's text search.Start with the first error after the server started. Later errors are often caused by the first one.
Read the first line of the error block. It names the problem, for example
java.lang.NullPointerExceptionorjava.lang.OutOfMemoryError.Look for lines that start with
Caused by:. The last one is usually the root cause.Look at the names in the
at ...lines. A name likecom.example.coolplugintells you which plugin or mod was running when it failed.
Some messages are friendly enough to read straight away:
Error occurred while enabling SomePlugin (Is it up to date?): that plugin failed to load. Update it or remove it.Can't keep up! Is the server overloaded?: the server is lagging. See How to fix Minecraft server lag.UnsupportedClassVersionError: wrong Java version, usually after uploading your own jar or changing the Docker Image by hand. See Server won't start.You need to agree to the EULA in order to run the server: the EULA popup was cancelled. Press Start and click I ACCEPT.
How to read a crash report
A crash report is a text file that Minecraft writes when the server stops because of an error. Open the newest file in crash-reports. The important parts are:
Description near the top, for example
Exception in server tick loop,Ticking entityorTicking block entity.The error and stack trace right under it. Read it the same way as a log error.
Sections such as Entity being ticked or Block entity being ticked, which give the type and coordinates of the thing that crashed. See Exception in server tick loop.
System Details at the bottom: Minecraft version, Java version and, on modded servers, the list of loaded mods.
Sharing a log with support or a plugin author
Logs are long, so paste them into a log-sharing site such as mclo.gs, which is made for Minecraft logs and hides IP addresses, and send the link. You can also download the file from Files and attach it to a ticket. Don't paste logs in public chats without checking them for IP addresses or other private details.
Frequently asked questions
There is no crash-reports folder
That is normal. Minecraft only creates it after the first crash. If the server stopped without a crash report, the reason is in logs/latest.log.
latest.log only shows the last start
Yes. Each start begins a new latest.log and the previous one is packed into a .log.gz file in the same folder. Unarchive it to read what happened before the restart.
Can I delete old logs?
Yes. Old .log.gz files and crash reports are safe to delete if you don't need them, and it frees a little disk space.
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